School pupils at risk from fire & other hazards

A health survey carried out in most private basic schools in the Awutu Senya East District showed that pupils’ lives are at risk because there are no fire extinguishers at the schools.

Mr Delima Amoonaquah, Deputy District Environmental Health Officer, said even where the fire extinguishers exist, they had expired.

He said proprietors have, therefore, been advised to install extinguishers which are current.

Mr Amoonaquah, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Friday, said the pupils were also at risk in terms of contracting diseases because food vendors had not been screened to ascertain their health status.

Other defaults detected, Mr Amoonaquah said, include over-crowding, poor ventilation and lighting system, toilet facilities and washing basins and poor disposal of refuse.

Mr Amoonaquah said the general sanitation of the schools’ compound was not satisfactory and that the exercise would be extended to public schools.

Paa Ashon-Cudjo, Organiser of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools in the district, called on heads of schools to install fire extinguishers and provide sanitary facilities to ensure the safety of the pupils.